Suankularb Wittayalai School

The Suankularb - Wittayalai School ( Thai: โรงเรียน สวน กุหลาบ วิทยาลัย RTGS: . Rongrian Suankulap Witthayalai, pronunciation: [ ro ː ŋrian suănkùlà ː p Witt ʰ ÁJA ː laj ], translated "Rose Garden Group" ) is a famous public boys' school of secondary education in Thailand. It is the oldest secondary school in Thailand.

History

The school's history begins in the late 19th century in the Grand Palace of Bangkok. Here the royal pages were trained, from whose ranks the royal bodyguard was recruited. The School of pages ranged the palace, which was called "Rose Garden " ( Suan Kulap ). In 1871, the military training was extended by an additional school branch in which the bellboy could read and write and learn the English language. In addition to the pages and the sons of the nobles of the visit of this school was permitted, was added to the value in a new way of learning. Students were punished by caning neither here nor insults, as was usual in similar facilities. Provide pupils with a uniform pocket money it has been made and paid. However, the requirements of the curriculum to the students were so high that most of the left school prematurely. When the new students later also primarily came from middle-class families, was founded on a proposal by Prince Damrong towards a new school, which was reserved only boys from the royal family.

On March 8, 1882 King Chulaklongkorn opened the Suankularb - school to provide intelligent sons of the royal family a training advantage over the bourgeois class. In the first year only boys were taught, who had the rank of a Mom Chao. But already in the second year, the number of candidates exceeded those of the Pagen school. Galt until then military training as a prerequisite for obtaining a well-paid, leading position in the administration of the Siamese empire, so this was no longer necessary after a decree of the king.

Under the leadership of Prince Damrong, the board also in 1885, when the newly established Ministry of Education until 1892, the Suankularb School remained an elite school for the ruling class. But after ten years, the origin of a new student was more broadly, many came from families of smaller official or wealthy commoner with Chinese background. From twenty students of the final year 1896 there was only one with royal descent, four were sons of high-ranking nobles, five lower rank of nobility. Eight students came from the bourgeois class and two were of Chinese descent. This contributed to the fact that in 1889 a school fee was introduced from 20 baht a year in order to " prevent the common people ( คน เลว - khon leo) visited the school, and to cover the cost of lunch food ".

Towards the end of 1902, in the meantime several new elementary schools were founded in Buddhist temples, the curriculum has been adjusted by the Ministry of Education so that the so-called " Standard I " in primary schools and the so -called " Standard II " taught at secondary schools been. This meant that there were now next to the Suankularb school only three schools for secondary education.

In 1910, as many students attended the School Suankularb that the old buildings on the palace grounds was too small. A new school building was opened on a site, which from Wat Lieb (now Wat Ratchaburana ) had been donated. The school is still here today, the building was called the " Long House " because it was the longest house in the country for many years.

Importance

The establishment of the Suankularb school associated with the beginning of modern training methods in Thailand. For over a century, the alumni of the school are among the leading minds in the fields of politics, the social and the military. Many of them work in high government positions and were and are part of the modernization of Thailand. Together with three other very traditional and prestigious boys' schools she wears every year from the Jaturamitr - Samakkee football tournament.

In 1973, the Suankularb - Wittayalai School was voted "Best school in the country " awarded by the King. King Bhumibol Adulyadej himself or Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 1984 and 1995 were equally present at opening ceremonies for further building of the school.

Former students of Suankularb - Wittayalai School

  • Members of the royal family Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandh
  • Prince Wan Waithayakon
  • General Sunthorn Kongsompong - leader of the coup of 1991 and the de facto leader of the government from 1991 to 1992
  • General Mongkol Ampornpisit
  • General Prem Tinsulanonda
  • General Surayud Chulanont
  • General Ruangroj Mahasaranon - Commander of the Thai Armed Forces 2005-2006
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